Alan Stewart’s UK and Ireland family history news

My Ancestor Was Scottish

I just gave my last talks of this year on Saturday 27 November at the Society of Genealogists (SoG) in London, as the morning sessions in a whole day on My Ancestor Was Scottish. The afternoon speakers were Willie Cross and Else Churchill.

On my way to the SoG building, I took a look at Florin Court, a thirties-style block in Charterhouse Square. Florin Court is better known as Whitehaven Mansions, where Hercule Poirot lives in the long-running TV series (and one of my favourites).

My next talk at the SoG will not be until 15 October 2011, when I’ll be the first speaker in a full day on My Ancestor Was Irish. I’m also booked for My Ancestor Was Scottish again on 5 November 2011. Perhaps I’ll see some of you then.

Last August, when I gave a half-day talk on Tracing Scottish Borders Families, Sandy Waldie, one of the people attending the talk, turned out to be my fifth cousin! We’re both descended from Robert Walker and Isabella Peacock, who married in Stow, Midlothian in 1770. Small world, isn’t it?

William’s older brother George was my GGG-grandfather, who married Joan Brodie in Edinburgh on 29 April 1811. Joan’s father James was one of the nephews of the Shropshire ironmaster Alexander Brodie (1733-1811).

Robert and Isabella are my GGGG-grandparents, and if they’re yours too, then we’re fifth cousins!